Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe announces plans to purchase land along Route 24 in East Taunton for casino

In an announcement that could have major implications for the future of gaming in southeastern Massachusetts, city and tribal officials confirmed Wednesday that they are working to bring a resort casino to Taunton. “This could potentially be the shot in the arm our city needs as the economic engi...

In an announcement that could have major implications for the future of gaming in southeastern Massachusetts, city and tribal officials confirmed Wednesday that they are working to bring a resort casino to Taunton.

“This could potentially be the shot in the arm our city needs as the economic engine that drives us forward and gives our residents hope for a better community,” Taunton Mayor Thomas Hoye Jr. said. “I would be remiss in my duties of Mayor if we did not give this opportunity due diligence.”

The mayor and Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Chairman Cedric Cromwell held a press conference Wednesday at the temporary city hall at Maxham School to announce a tentative deal to build a casino in the city.

“This is a very exciting day for the city of Taunton and the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe,” Cromwell said. “This is the first of many conversations to bring a first-class, best-in-class destination resort casino to the city of Taunton.”

The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe has entered into a formal option to purchase privately held land in the Liberty and Union Industrial Park alongside Route 24 in East Taunton, Cromwell said. If a deal can be brokered to acquire a large swath of land, the tribe plans to invest at least $500 million to build a casino facility including hotels, an indoor water park, restaurants and other resort amenities.

Details not released

The tribal chairman said confidentiality agreements restrict what can be said publicly about the option-to-purchase agreement, including details about a potential price.

“Certainly, infrastructure is important and we believe the property we’re looking at will provide the best in infrastructure,” Cromwell said, citing the location’s highway access.

Hoye and Cromwell, stressing that Wednesday’s announcement is the beginning of a process and that no deal is finalized, acknowledged the tribe is also looking at other parcels in Taunton. Property outside the city, Cromwell said, is no longer under consideration.

Although such plans never came to fruition, the tribe had previously pursued building a casino in Middleboro and Fall River and was reported to have briefly eyed locations in Bridgewater and Raynham, as well.

“Our focus is Taunton,” Cromwell said. “We want to work with you, we want to be successful in Massachusetts and we want to be here in Taunton.”

Up to the voters

Before a casino could be built in Taunton, the city’s residents would have to approve the proposal in a citywide vote. In advance of the referendum, Hoye said he plans to come to an agreement with the tribe on how to mitigate the impact of a casino. Taunton, the mayor said, would seek funding from the tribe for infrastructure improvements, additional public safety resources and other items.

The city and the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe also plan to hold a series of public meetings throughout the city to address residents’ concerns.

“Ultimately it is up to the citizens of Taunton to decide, through a binding referendum, the destiny of this proposal,” Hoye said.

Officials’ reactions

Several Taunton city councilors, officials and legislators were on hand Wednesday, as were members of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council. State Rep. Shaunna O’Connell, R-Taunton; state Rep. Keiko Orrall, R-Lakeville; and state Sen. Marc Pacheco, D-Taunton, were among those who stood alongside Hoye and Cromwell.

“It remains to be seen how the people of Taunton feel,” state Rep. Patricia Haddad, D-Somerset, the Speaker pro tempore, told State House News Service. “I think it’s a great opportunity. Whether the people of Taunton feel the same way, we don’t know yet.”

City Council President Ryan Colton called the tribe’s proposal “exciting” and said he looks forward to seeing the final result of the negotiations between the tribe and the Hoye administration.

“I certainly think it’s a very exciting time for city, it’s a very exciting proposal and I’m hopeful it will be something that will come to fruition and be something mutually beneficial for the city and the tribe,” he said. “It could be a game-changer for the future of the city.”

What the legislation requires

The casino legislation Gov. Deval Patrick signed into law last year authorizes three casino licenses across the state, broken down by region. The law includes a provision that gives a federally recognized American Indian tribe exclusive rights until July 31 to negotiate for the license for the southeastern part of the state.

If July 31 passes and the city hasn’t yet scheduled a referendum vote, the tribe hasn’t acquired land and the governor and the tribe haven’t yet agreed to a legislatively approved compact, then the tribe would lose its exclusive rights. The bidding for a license would then be opened to commercial proposals.

If the Taunton land purchase goes through, the Mashpee Wampanoags would also need to get federal approval for the land to fall under their sovereign tribal jurisdiction.

On to the next step

Although all involved parties say the negotiations are at an early stage, Hoye admitted the tribe began putting out feelers before he was even sworn into office. Lobbyist Bill Delahunt, Hoye said, contacted him before Christmas about the possibility of building a tribal casino in Taunton. Hoye was sworn into office on Jan. 2.

The mayor pledged transparency throughout the process.

“In the spirit of full disclosure and in partnership with the tribe we are taking this conversation public,” he said.

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The next major step, Hoye said, will be to hire a team of expert consultants — at the tribe’s expense — to examine the potential impacts of a casino in the city and how to best mitigate them.

“This information will be used to negotiate an intergovernmental agreement that would be in our city’s best interest,” Hoye said.

The tribe’s proposal, the mayor said, has the potential to create up to 4,000 jobs and generate additional revenue for the city.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for our city and we will only get one chance at a project of this magnitude,” Hoye said. “I have consistently stressed the need for job creation, business opportunities and taking charge of our own destiny, and this is a chance to accomplish all three.”